Beginning Author's Note

Alright! If my predictions are correct, this chapter should wrap up the Sports Festival Arc. I don't plan on making many changes other than Izuku's fights, maybe a slight change with Mina's fight but not much else. As I said, there will be a bit more AU material after this arc.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If it wasn't already obvious, I am neither Japanese, nor do I speak the language. Because of this, I would really appreciate it if anybody that is more familiar with Japanese honorifics could PM me and let me know if there are any corrections that I need to make or can help give a better explanation of how they are used as I have so far just been looking online. Thank you.

Review Response/Comments:

Aruton900: I'm glad you liked Neito's role in the IzuMina of chapter 8. I always thought that he was a prick so it seemed fitting that he'd piss off the wrong person. Again, thank you for the suggestion of Ochaco's role in the progress of Izuku and Mina's relationship. It made sense because there's no way someone as dense as Tenya could ever do it. I like the idea of Izuku and Mina having complimenting hero names. Unfortunately, nothing comes to mind so I'll just have to see if inspiration strikes.

ThelittleKing: No problem good sir! I'm not only going to have Izuku dominate his fight with Shinso, but also show him that the students of class 1-A earned their seats at U.A..

NexusENGINE: Wow! Thank you SO much for the support. You have no idea how much it means to me when people let me know that they're enjoying my fanfic. I'm also flattered that you decided to review my story shortly after creating an account. I wouldn't be so quick to put yourself down. Who knows? Maybe your version of the story would've been even better than mine! I'm glad you like my take on Izuku and the battle scenes (I've been worried about how those were turning out). Sorry about that cliffhanger kiss haha but I'm happy I was able to make it up to you. Concerning the change in color for Izuku's kyuubi mode, that's actually a pretty interesting suggestion. He'd probably look like Otsutsuki Toneri when he acquired the Tenseigan. On a side note, you mentioned making a new story. If you ever want some advice or suggestions during the writing process, don't be afraid to PM me and I'll be more than happy to offer my support! Once again, thank you good sir!

Guest: While that is a great suggestion, Izuku hasn't exactly displayed many ninja-like abilities. Ninjas (that aren't in the Naruto verse) are supposed to be quiet and subtle killers. Izuku is someone that uses the five natures in very showy moves. That and other than his whiskers, there has been little that makes him very foxlike, at least to people that don't know he has a giant humanoid fox living inside of him.

TheBlakkat09: I will be updating now sir. Thanks for the compliments on my work so far! I hope to be making a great take on Izuku vs Shoto for those who have been waiting so patiently for it! Hopefully my updates will not take as long as this one did going forward!

Thank you mr. jack joke for the support!

Okay! Without further ado, pink sponge in my skull, don't fail me now!

"Hello" - normal speech

'Hello' - thoughts

"Hello" - mental speech

"Hello" - Kurama mental speech

'Hello' - Kurama thoughts

"Hello" - Kurama speech

I do not own the cover image. Credit goes to its respective artist.

All works of fiction within the story belong to their respective owners. I do not own Naruto, My Hero Academia, or any other anime that may be referenced in this story.


-Battle in the Arena-

Izuku was training in his mindscape when he heard someone coming into class 1-A's break room. Opening his eyes, Izuku saw All Might standing before him in his muscled form, "Hello there young Midoriya!" Izuku smiled, "Hey there sensei."

All Might had closed the door on his way in and was now reverting back to his scrawny form, "That's better. It's somewhat bothersome having to remain in my hero form when there isn't some kind of emergency." Izuku chuckled, "I could imagine. Is there a reason you came to see me sensei?" All Might looked at the greenette and gave a smile, "Well of course i had to see my protege as soon as I had the chance! You're doing spectacularly young Midoriya! I don't think I've never seen such an amazing display of skill, power, and strategy in the Sport's Festival! And to make such a showing as a first year? I'm not allowed to pick favorites as a teacher, but if I could make bets, all of my money would be on you young Midoriya."

Izuku's heart swelled with pride and happiness, "Thank you sensei. Still, I wouldn't be so hasty. I'll have to face Todoroki-san and Bakugou to win this thing." All Might clasped Izuku on the shoulder, "I have no doubt that you will find a way to come out victorious you Midoriya. Just keep fighting like you have been and I'm sure you will pull through. That being said, are you recovered enough to fight again? You gave us all quite the scare when you collapsed."

Izuku gave his teacher a sheepish smile, "Yeah, I kinda pushed my limits for the Cavalry Battle. I used up too much chakra in a short amount of time and a few of the last jutsu were a bit more chakra consuming. I'm fine now though. After a bit of R and R I'm back in top condition!" All Might raised an eyebrow, "R and R?" Izuku grinned, "Rest and Ramen!" All Might's eyes widened for a moment before he began to laugh. After a moment, Izuku joined in, both student and teacher laughing together.

The Midnight's voice then rang through the arena, asking that all participants for the festival tournament return to the arena. All Might looked at his protege and smiled, "It seems as if you have a tournament to win young Midoriya." Izuku smiled back, "Looks like it."

Izuku made his way out the door and raised his clenched fist up, "I'll make you proud sensei!" All Might watched as his student walked away and thought of the hero he was and what he would become, 'You already have young Midoriya.'


In the Arena

Izuku's match was first. He was led to one side of the arena and was now walking towards the new battle area that was created by Cementoss, the cement manipulating hero. Shinso was walking from the opposite side of the arena towards the battle ring.

In the background, Present Mic was busy giving introductions, "Here he is! The so far victorious green haired student from class 1-A! Midoriya Izuku!" At this, the crowd roared and applauded. Izuku had become a fan favorite after his display in the festival up until that point. Present Mic continued, "Sorry! He hasn't done too much to stand out so far! Shinso Hitoshi from class 1-B!" The applause was significantly quieter.

Both students made their way into the ring. Izuku looked around, "The crowd seems even more excited for the tournament then the other events. They probably want to see who's the overall strongest among us pretty badly." Kurama was of like mind, "Most likely. However, I would suggest you focus on your opponent."

Izuku returned his attention to Shinso who was sporting the his usual bored look. Present Mic was explaining the rules to everyone. In order to win, participants had to either immobilize their opponents, make them say they surrender, or push them out of bounds. Anything went in the fights as long as it wasn't fatal. Cementoss would be standing by to intervene if things got too intense and Recovery Girl would be near to treat any injuries.

They then gave the battle the ok to start, "BEGIN!"

Neither opponent moved while Shinso began to talk, "It's too bad the monkey from your class had to go and quit. I didn't even think class 1-A students were that stupid. Guess I was wrong. If anyone's going to be removed, it'll definitely be that stupid monkey."

Izuku shook his head, "Would you just shut the f-" Shinso smirked as he activated his quirk, trapping Izuku in his mind control, "I win."

Within his mindscape, Izuku was floating aimlessly, unable to control his body. He then felt a huge blow to his skull as Kurama flicked the greenette in the back of the head. Izuku was thrust back into his original mindscape where he was met with an expecting Kurama, "What the hell! You're supposed to wake me! Not give me a concussion!"

Kurama just rolled his eyes, "You needed a shock to escape that brat's quirk so I gave you a shock. Now go and finish this fight." Izuku grumbled as he exited his mindscape.

Outside, hardly a moment passed as Shinso ushered his command, "Walk out of the ring."

Izuku just stood in his daze, not moving a muscle. Shinso furrowed his eyebrows in frustration, "I told you to walk out of the ring!" Still no response. Shinso grit his teeth as he stomped over to Izuku. He cocked his fist back, "I told you to move!" Shinso sent his fist right for Izuku's nose.

To his surprise, his fist never met its target as Izuku caught his arm by the wrist, stopping his hand an inch from his face, "Ever heard of the word 'please'?" Shinso's eyes went as wide as saucers, "Wha- How?! I know I used my quirk on you! How are you moving?!" Izuku just smirked, "Wouldn't you like to know."

Shinso growled as he sent his other fist towards Izuku's stomach. Izuku caught his fist before effortlessly, "You haven't exactly focused on physical training, have you?" Shinso growled, "Shut up! You're just another class 1-A bastard with a bloated ego who got lucky with his quirk!"

Izuku just sighed as he shoved Shinso back, "I've met your class rep so I know not all of you are like this. You mind letting me know how many of you have that stick up your asses so I know what to expect?"

Shinso activated his quirk again, putting Izuku under his control. He then went to punch Izuku while he was dazed. Once again, Kurama broke the mind control, freeing Izuku who immediately parried Shinso's fist and sent his open palm right into his chest. Shinso was sent flying back as he hit the ground on his back. He attempted to get up as he struggled to regain his breath, "How *wheeze* are you *wheeze* resisting *wheeze* my quirk?"

Izuku just shrugged, "Sorry. That's a secret. Though if it makes you feel any better, I should be the only person capable of escaping it. Had you been fighting anyone else I'm pretty sure it would've been your win." He then leveled his gaze on Shinso who was getting up, "The way I see it, you have two options. You can either surrender now or you can fight me and get your ass kicked. Whichever option you choose, at least try to take this as a lesson to never be so reliant on your quirk."

Shinso gritted his teeth, "Fuck you! You must feel so great don't you! You and all those cocky bastards in 1-A looking down on the rest of us! You all were just born with the right quirks! None of you know what it's like to need to fight to achieve your goals! You all just had everything handed to you!"

Izuku clenched his fist and growled, "Y'know, I'm a bit tired of you speaking about us when you clearly don't know shit." He then began to walk forward causing Shinso to unconsciously backed up as he was hit with killing intent, "See, if you knew anything about me, you'd know that I've had to train to my limits for the past decade to master my power. Yet, even after all that time, I'm still worlds away from my full potential. I can't speak for everyone else in my class, but I'm willing to bet that most, if not all of them, have worked just as hard to earn their places in class 1-A. So next time you want to run your mouth about people you don't know…" Izuku then turned into a blur of speed as he rushed up to Shinso who was at the edge of the ring, "...Don't." He then sent his fist right for Shinso's face, stopping a hair away. Shinso was so startled as he felt the wind from Izuku's fist that he stumbled backwards, falling out of the ring.

Midnight, who was standing that the side of the ring, rose up her whip, "Midoriya Izuku wins the match by ring out!" The crowd was silent for a count of five before they erupted into cheers. Shinso cursed as he stood up. Izuku walked over to the teen, "Y'know, contrary to what everyone seems to think, class 1-A isn't all that bad. Instead of blaming others for your place in life, try taking a look at yourself once in a while. Sometimes, the only way to better our lives is to better ourselves first. Think about it." Izuku then walked away.

Shinso was shocked. He'd completely expected Izuku to walk over and gloat about his victory. Advice was the last thing he thought he'd get from someone in class 1-A. He chuckled, "Maybe I'm the one who was being an idiot."

Izuku made his way up to the spectator seats with the rest of class 1-A. It took a bit longer to reach them as people insisted on stopping him and praising him for his performance so far. Once he reached the seats, he took his seat by Mina, Ochaco, and Tenya. Tenya was the first to speak as he stood up, "As expected of you Izuku-san! We had no doubts that you would come out victorious!" He then began to shed tears, "You've shown us once again the amazing hero you are Izuku-san!"

Izuku chuckled as he shook his head, "I wouldn't say all that Tenya-san. I just so happened to have a counter for his quirk. If I didn't, that would've been Shinso-san's win without a doubt." Ochaco then spoke up, "How exactly did you counter his quirk Izuku-san?" Izuku looked back at her, grateful he had prepared a reason before hand, "Well, I basically used my abilities to give myself a type of mental shock which let me escape his mind control quirk."

It was Mina's turn to add her piece, "Ehhhh? So that means that none of us could break out of his quirk?" Izuku looked at her and smiled, "Yeah, sorry about that. Although, from what I could tell, a good smack on your head would break you free so it's not impossible to escape." Izuku gave Mina a reassuring smile which caused her to smile back.

Before they could continue their conversation, Present Mic's voice was heard, "Alright! Time for the second battle of the tournament! Here is Sero Hanta, the tape quirk user from class 1-A!" Sero was waiting in the ring with a smile on his face as he stretched, "He's putting on a brave face, but anyone who's seen Todoroki-san in action knows better than to expect an easy win." Kurama grunted in Izuku's mindscape, "He's is either two seconds away from running out of the ring or he plans on attacking with everything he has before the ice and fire brat can react." Izuku nodded his head, "My thoughts exactly."

Shoto was then seen making his way to the ring from the opposite end as Sero, "Here, also from class 1-A! Todoroki Shoto! He showed his impressive abilities in the Race and Cavalry Battle, proving that he was not entered on recommendation for nothing!" Shoto entered the ring wearing his usual emotionless face, however, Izuku could tell there was something off, "He looks pissed. I'm actually starting to feel bad for Sero-san."

At the side of the ring, Midnight raised her whip in the air and yelled as she dropped it, "Begin!"

Sero immediately dropped his calm demeanor and shot two lines of tape directly at Shoto. Sero wrapped them around the half and half student and began to use them to swing Shoto out of the ring.

Ochaco got up from her seat, "Can Sero win this?!" Izuku just shook his head as his eyebrows furrowed, "No…" Before Sero could force Shoto out of bound, the ice and fire user released a massive wave of ice, covering most of the ring. By the time he was finished, Shoto had created an ice structure that rose higher than the arena itself. Upon closer inspection, Sero was left with most of his body immobile within the ice save for his head.

The whole audience was stunned, remaining completely silent even as the victory was announced and Shoto began walking out of the ring after melting his ice.

Izuku was deep in thought as he crossed his arms, "I know I've seen his quirk in action before but its upper limits are still a mystery to me. Still, based on what I've seen, I don't think a long range fight would be any good since I don't know how long he's able to continuously fire off his quirk. Close range is also dangerous but if that technique works then I should be able to withstand his ice long enough to take him out." Kurama nodded, "All true. However, we both already know that not all of your focus is going towards winning against that brat, is it?"

Izuku sighed, "Yeah. I get why you'd be a little pissed at me for that but this is the best chance I'm gonna have at breaking him out of his shell of hatred. I think the best way to do that is by driving him into a corner where he'll be forced to use his left side." Kurama wasn't too sure about his partner's plan, "And if his power ends up being too much for you? We already agreed that you wouldn't use my chakra for the festival. I'll allow the incident with the brat that disrespected your mate slide because it was necessary. However, anymore and I know you'll be whining about how this wasn't a victory you achieved on your own."

Izuku blushed, "First off, shut up about Mina-chan being my mate! Second, I don't plan on drawing on your power during the festival. If I end up losing than that's all there is to it. I need to get stronger on my own before I can fully access your power so it'd be stupid for me to abuse it."

Kurama just humphed as he decided to nap a bit more. Izuku was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Tenya speaking up, "Izuku-san, you know that we all have the utmost faith in your abilities. However, I feel like I have to ask: will you be able to beat Todoroki-san?"

Izuku sighed, "To be honest, Todoroki-san is probably one of the most capable fighters of our class and of all the first years right next to Bakugou and myself. His control over his ice is nearly as impressive as the sheer output. I have my fire jutsus to counter his ice but in a battle of attrition he'd far outlast me since I'm reliant on my chakra levels. In terms of raw speed and power, I believe I've got him beat there. To be honest, I can't say for certain which of us will win."

Izuku's friends seemed a bit anxious to hear that even he was unsure if he could beat their half and half classmate.

Izuku, deciding not to let the mood remain so down, changed the subject, "Well, I'm sure things will turn out alright. Anyways, let's watch the next match. I've actually been curious to see how Kaminari-san uses his quirk in a combat situation." At his words, his friends, albeit somewhat reluctantly, shifted their attention back to the ring where Kaminari was facing off against a girl from class 1-B.

Down in the ring, Kaminari seemed confident as he faced his opponent. The girl from class 1-B, however, seemed to be calm and collected. Midnight finally gave the signal for the battle to start, causing Kaminari to conduct electricity in his palms. Izuku began to go through scenarios in his mind, "Considering he likely doesn't know the abilities of his opponent, he should approach her cautiously and-"

"I'M GONNA END THIS IN ONE BLOW!" Kaminari then proceeded to unleash his full power as he blasted his opponent with electricity. Izuku just face palmed, "Or he can do that." The wave of electricity directly impacted the green haired girl covering much of the arena in dust. When the dust cleared, Kaminari was being held up in the air by vines, helpless as his brain was fried by the side effects of over using his quirk, while his opponent was completely unharmed as she was shielded by a wall of vines made of her hair. The girl then tossed Kaminari out of bounds, earning her the victory.

Izuku began to make a mental note on the girl's quirk, "It looks like she has a plant based quirk. It seems insulated enough to withstand some pretty powerful shocks. I'd be willing to bet she has a weakness for fire. Still, that's a pretty impressive quirk. I wonder why she isn't in 1-A."

Izuku was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a voice that he unfortunately recognized, "Oh my! What an embarrassing loss!" Izuku turned his head and his eyes narrowed when he saw the voice was indeed that of Neito. The class 1-A hater was leaning over towards their seats as he taunted them, "He claimed he would end it in one blow but ended up losing in a second! I certainly hope that isn't all class 1-A has to offer!"

Izuku took a deep breath to calm himself, "Yeah. You're completely right. That was a horrible performance on Kaminari-san's side." Neito seemed a bit taken aback by Izuku's response but did his best to hide it, "I'm so glad you agree. I can't belie-" Izuku cut him off, "That being said Monomo-san, where would that put you, someone that failed to make it as far as Kaminari-san? In fact, if memory serves correct, you and your team had the most pathetic turnout in the cavalry battle as you failed with no points. Tell me, are you sure it's in your best interest to belittle someone that made it farther than yourself?"

Everyone's jaws were on the floor. Izuku had taken Neito apart in the span of 20 seconds and hadn't even moved from his seat. Before Neito could retaliate, he was met with a swift chop to his neck, knocking him unconscious. Izuku's eyebrow rose as he looked over to see who was responsible. He was somewhat surprised to see Itsuka was now holding a sleeping Neito by the collar, "Sorry about that you guys." Her eyes then fell on Izuku, "Oh hi there Midoriya-san! Sorry if Monoma-san was bothering you. He's got a thing with class 1-A for some reason. Great job in your fight by the way."

Izuku smiled, glad that not everyone in class 1-B was as foolish as Neito and Shinso, "Thanks. It's too bad your team didn't make it. I was kind of hoping for a one on one rematch against you. You had me nervous there for a second." Itsuka smiled back, "Yeah, I wish we could've made it through. I would've like to have a rematch too. Maybe some time when your not busy we can see if the teacher we'll let us as training." Izuku readily agreed with the idea of combat training with class 1-B, "That'd be great! Maybe it would help relations between our classes too." Itsuka beamed at the idea, "I didn't even think of that! When this festival is over we should definitely talk to the teachers about it!" Izuku smiled, "Sure thing."

Itsuka then began to walk back to her seats with Neito in tow, "Well, I've gotta bring this one back with us. See you around Midoriya-san!" She waved, causing Izuku to wave back. Izuku then turned back to his friends, "Y'know, thinking about it, shouldn't it be you that goes with her Tenya-san? You are both class representatives after all." Tenya immediately shook his head, "Absolutely not Izuku-san. While I am honored that you would entrust such a responsibility to me, it was your idea along with Kendo-san. It is only right if you are the one to present it with her."

Izuku thought about Tenya's words, "Well, if that's how you feel about it, then I won't argue. Sure thing, I'll talk to the teachers about it with Kendo-san." With that, Tenya got up from his seat, "Well, seeing as my match is next, I think I will head down and be ready when they call for me."

All of Tenya's friends wished him luck along with the rest of his class.

After a few minutes of idle chatter, the fourth battle of the tournament was nearly underway as Tenya came out from one side of the arena while Mei came from the other. For some reason, Tenya was wearing some strange equipment on his back. Midnight stopped Tenya before he could enter the ring, "Any extra equipment that a participant wishes to use in the tournament must be approved before the match. I'm sorry, but you won't be able to use that in this match."

Tenya immediately grasped his head in shock, "I didn't know that!" He then straightened up and clenched his fist as he spoke with passion, "However, when Hatsume-san requested that I wear her equipment to put us both on even grounds, I thought that the only possible response would be one of respect for her hero spirit!"

Midnight began to hug her sides as she let out a lewd cry before she snapped back to her professional self and pointed her whip at Tenya, "Alright, I'll allow it."

Once they were both in the ring, Midnight raised her whip before bring it down once again, "Begin!"

Tenya wasted no time as his engines flared to life and he rushed at Mei. As he reached for her with the intention of forcing her out of bounds, her backpack shot out a tentacle and thrust her out of harm's way. Tenya continued to shoot forward and stumbled as he struggled to avoid the edge of the ring. Suddenly, the contraption on Tenya's back flared to life and began to shoot puffs of air, pushing Tenya back into the ring and on his feet.

Mei began to speak through a microphone, describing the uses for the invention on her opponent's back, saying that it wouldn't allow the user to fall unless they wished. The rest of the fight continued as Mei pulled out various gadgets and used Tenya as her guinea pig while describing their uses.

Finally, after the most humiliating ten minutes of Tenya's life, Mei willingly stepped out of the ring, "I've said all that I came to say." Tenya was in the background yelling his frustrations causing Mei to sheepishly apologize.

Izuku began to hollar in laughter as he held his stomach. Mina did much better at hiding her laughter as she lightly punched Izuku's arm, "Come on Izu-kun! That's not very nice!" Izuku's laughter toned down considerably as he wiped a tear from his eye, "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be mean. It's just, well, anybody else would've been wary of accepting help from an opponent. Yet, somehow, Hatsume-san was paired with the one person that would go along with her suggestion without question." Izuku then start to giggle again, "And the best part is, Hatsume-san didn't even want to win, even though she could've done it easily."

After a moment of processing everything, Mina looked down at the ring where Tenya was banging his head against a wall in frustration. She then began to join Izuku in his laughter, soon followed by Ochaco.

Mina then got up from her seat, "Well, my match is about to start so I'd better get down there. Any tips before I go?" Izuku thought for a moment, "Aoyama-san is the one with the Naval Laser quirk right? Well, he has the range advantage so it would be your best option to get in close. Also, his beams can only travel in a straight line so you should be able to avoid them as long as you pay attention to where he's aiming. He can't fire off too many shots since it causes stomach pains so a dragged out fight could also work towards your benefit. Still, if it were me, I'd rush him, avoiding his lasers, and then get a few good licks in to knock him out of the ring since he doesn't seem to physically strong."

He looked over at Mina and Ochaco who were gaping at Izuku like he'd just spoken another language. Izuku's brow rose, "What?" Mina began to snap out of her daze, "Honestly, I expected you guys to say 'Just give it your best and you'll win for sure' or something like that." Ochaco started nodding, "Yeah. That sounded like you've been plotting to beat him for a while." Izuku tilted his head to the side in confusion, "Well, you never know who your going to fight or when. I thought it'd be smart to have a plan of action in case I need to fight anyone I meet."

After a moment of silence, both girls began to laugh while Ochaco managed to speak, "Only you Izuku-kun." Mina managed to contain herself to speak soon after, "Yeah. Next you'll be talking about your plan to beat All Might-sensei." Izuku crossed his arms at that and smirked, killing their laughter. Ochaco's eyes widened in realization, "...no way." Mina looked for a moment in disbelief, "Izu-kun… Have you thought of a way to beat All Might sensei?" Izuku simply shrugged, "You should hurry Mina-chan, your match is going to start soon."

Mina widened her eyes at Izuku's words, trying to say something. After a moment, she settled for pouting, "Izu-kun you meanie." Izuku felt his heart skip a beat at the site of a pouting MIna, finding its level of cuteness reaching dangerous amounts. Izuku blushed as he cleared his throat, "Well, if you must know, I don't have a way to beat All Might sensei. Our difference in pure power is too great. However, I have thought of a few ways to stall him while waiting for reinforcements, which is the closest thing to beating All Might sensei anyone is ever likely to get."

Mina nodded her head, satisfied with his answer, "Okay. I'm gonna go get ready for my match now." Mina got up and began to walk away before she stopped and turned her head a bit, "For the record, if anyone could ever beat All Might sensei, I'd bet on you Izu-kun." She then continued to walk away as Izuku was dumbstruck, "Does she really think I'm that strong?"

"It is a vixen's responsibility to support her mate and believe in his strength." Izuku turned as red as a tomato. However, he didn't respond as he inwardly began to consider the truth behind Kurama's words.

After a few minutes, the crowd turned their attention back to the ring as Mina and Yuga entered, ready for their fight. Mina was stretching as she waited for the fight to begin while Yuga continued to brag about how amazing he was.

Midnight then gave the signal once she confirmed both participants were ready, "Begin!"

Yuga placed both hands behind his head as he aimed his torso towards Mina and fired his quirk at her. Mina, remembering Izuku's advice, rushed at her opponent with all her speed, dodging to the right as the beam flew past her. Yuga continued to fire at Mina as she sprinted at him, easily dodging the beams.

Yuga seemed to become a bit more desperate as Mina got closer and his quirk took its toll on him. Mina was ten feet away from him when one beam came dangerously close to her torso. Mina, thought nothing of it as she twisted her body out of the way and closed the distance between her and Yuga in one last burst of speed.

Yuga, feeling sick from using his quirk and not being much of a fighter, feebly raised his hands up to his face in an attempt to protect himself. Mina simply thrust both palms into Yuga's chest, similar to Izuku's previous fight, and knocked Yuga completely out of the ring. Midnight called the match, "Ashido Mina wins by out of bounds!" The crowd roared in cheers while Mina jumped up in celebration.

Up in the stands, Izuku let go of the breath he hadn't realized he was holding and released his intense grip on his seat. He had nearly jumped down into the ring when Yuga's beam had come close to hitting Mina. Ochaco was looking at Izuku with new interest when she thought she heard a growl coming from Izuku during the fight. Ochaco suddenly pitied the next person to harm Mina in any way when Izuku was around, "Mina won!" Izuku, now having released all of his tension, turned to Ochaco, "Yeah! I'm not to surprised since Aoyama-san seems like someone that relies on his quirk a bit too much but it was still an impressive fight. I'm a bit worried about her next fight though. She'll either have to fight Tokoyami-san or Yaoyorozu-san, both of whom I can tell will be much more difficult to handle then Aoyama-san."

Ochaco cocked her head to the side in confusion, "I get why Yaoyorozu-san would be difficult since she was admitted through recommendation like Todoroki-san, but why would you say Tokoyami-san?" Izuku shook his head, "Actually, I'd say that Tokoyami-san is likely going to beat Yaoyorozu-san." Ochaco widened her eyes, "How?" Izuku took a breath, "Well, Yaoyorozu-san has her creation quirk while Tokoyami-san has dark shadow. From what I can tell, she needs more time when she's making something larger or more complex. Tokoyami-san, on the other hand, can launch dark shadow immediately. Given his immediate range advantage, I'd say that he simply needs to attack first and hard in order to win. Yaoyorozu-san will likely be stuck on the defensive without the proper breathing room to make anything game changing."

Ochaco looked dumbstruck at Izuku before shaking her head, "You're so smart it's scary Izuku-kun." Izuku just chuckled, "Anyways, this kind of brings me to what I wanted to talk to you about Ochaco-chan." Izuku then leveled hs gaze at her, "Have you thought of a way to beat Bakugou?" Ochaco seemed a bit surprised before taking a breath, "I have an idea, I'm just not sure that it'll work." Izuku turned to face Ochaco, "Lay it on me. I'll see if I can give you some tips." Ochaco gave Izuku a grateful smile, "I'd appreciate that actually."

Time flew as the next few fights occurred. Mina and Tenya returned to their seats with Izuku and Ochaco, stating that they decided to get something to eat after their matches. The match between Momo and Fumikage ended exactly how Izuku had predicted, with Fumikage overwhelming Momo before she could even attack and knocking her out of bounds. The fight between Kirishima and Tetsutetsu was a bit more interesting as both participants had extremely similar quirks. Their fight ended in a draw when they knocked each other out simultaneously.

Finally, it was time for Ochaco's match. She got up from her seat and gave her friends a thumbs up, "Wish me luck!" They all wished her good luck as she left. Tenya turned to Izuku, "Izuku-san, if it's all right, I'd like to ask what you believe Ochaco-san's chances are at winning against Katsuki-san."

Izuku crossed his arms and took a deep breath, "If I'm being honest, Bakugou has a huge advantage against Ochaco-chan. Both of them are more close ranged fighters considering that they are in a ring with nothing for her to use her quirk on other than Bakugou himself. That's actually the biggest problem since Bakugou is one of the strongest close ranged fighters in our class and likely the school. Even if Ochaco-chan manages to get close enough to touch Bakugou and use her quirk to throw him out of the ring, he can simply use his quirk to blast himself back in. Unfortunately, this is one of the worst possible matchups for Ochaco-chan."

Tenya wanted to say something but was at a loss for words. Mina was equally as speechless as she could only hope that her friend could pull through with a miracle.

Down in the ring, Ochaco and Bakugou were facing each other, determination blazing in their eyes. Midnight raised her whip and brought it down one more, "Begin!" Immediately, Ochaco charged at Bakugou, hands out spread and body low. Bakugou went into a defensive stance as he prepared for her. Once Ochaco was a few feet away, she lunged at Bakugou. Bakugou hardly moved as he sent his palm forward and blasted Ochaco with an explosion, sending her tumbling back.

Ochaco managed to right herself during the roll and shot back up to her feet. She grimaced as she held her side, already sore from one shot of Bakugou's quirk. Ignoring her pain, she sprinted at Bakugou again, this time from his left. She was met with the same result once she got close enough to him. She tried one more time from his right only to be blasted away again.

Ochaco grit her teeth as she ran at Bakugou one more time, directly from the front. Bakugou narrowed his eyes as he wondered why she would continuously try the same thing before he sent another explosion towards her. There was now a large amount of dust covering the ring from Bakugou's repeated explosions.

Bakugou cursed when he realized that he had blinded himself. Looking around, he took a step back when he saw a silhouette flying at him through the smoke. He sent an explosion right at the figure, clearing the smoke in front of him, showing that it was Ochaco's jacket that was coming towards him. Ochaco managed to rush behind Bakugou and reached for him with an open palm.

However, Bakugou proved his battle senses when he blasted her without even fully turning around, sending her tumbling across the ring once more. Ochaco struggled back up to her feet, wiping her face to get rid of the dirt that was building up. Katsuki seemed to be getting tired of the match, "You ever learn? You're not gonna beat me. Just give up already, before I hurt you." Izuku knew that Bakugou wouldn't hurt Ochaco too bad, but he still braced himself to jump into the ring in case things got bad for his friend.

Ochaco smirked in response, "Thank you Katsuki-san. It means a lot that you haven't let your guard down throughout our match." She then placed her finger tips together, "But I don't plan on giving up just yet!" Suddenly, the crowd gasped as dozens of rocks came falling down towards the ring. Mina's eyes widened, "She was getting Katsuki-san to blow up the ring on purpose! She was getting him to create ammunition!"

The entire audience was in awe at Ochaco's strategy. Unfortunately, Bakugou was more than prepared for the hail of rocks. He raised his palm into the air and, right before the rocks could make contact, blew every single one of them to pieces. Tenya shot up to his feet, "She was so close!" Izuku smirked, "It's not over."

The ring was once again covered in dust, creating yet another smokescreen. As Bakugou prepared to let loose another explosion to clear the smoke, he was struck in the chest, causing him to grunt in pain as he stumbled back, "What the fu-" Before he could continue, he was hit with a volley of high speed rocks, this time from a completely different direction. Everytime Bakugou attempted to right himself, another wave of rocks would strike him, always from a different direction.

Bakugou made a desperate dodge right and dove towards the ground, barely managing to avoid the next set of rocks. He immediately used the opportunity to use a powerful explosion to clear away the dust. Everyone's eyes widened in shock at the sight, save for Izuku who simply smirked.

Ochaco was floating parallel to the ground, rushing across the ring by using the craters Bakugou had made with his earlier explosions. She then grabbed a handful of stones and launched them at Bakugou, using her quirk to make them weightless and sending them flying even faster. Bakugou grit his teeth as he dodged the next volley of stones, now able to see them. Ochaco saw that Bakugou was regaining his wits and went to an especially large pile of stones. She used her jacket to grab hold of all of them and then sent them all flying in Bakugou's direction.

Bakugou, unable to dodge, sent a flurry of small explosions to destroy the projectiles. Ochaco, seeing her last attack fail, deactivated her quirk, lowering herself to the ground. Izuku furrowed his eyebrows, "She's exhausted. Using her quirk so much along with the intense movements she's had to make is taking its toll."

Ochaco got to her feet, panting and bruised, "I'm *pant* not *pant* done yet!" Bakugou gave a look of respect as he raised his hands up to continue the fight. Ochaco gave a defiant yell and charged at Bakugou who was at the edge of the ring. Bakugou waited for Ochaco to approach when she threw a fist at him. He effortlessly caught the punch and used her own momentum to throw her out of bounds.

Midnight called the match and Bakugou huffed before he left the ring without a word. He received a few claps but most thought that Bakugou had been too brutal during the fight. Izuku just shook his head, "Idiots. All of them." Mina turned to look at Izuku with confusion on her face, "What do you mean Izu-kun?" Izuku sighed, "All of them think that Bakugou was being needlessly cruel and lacking respect for Ochaco-chan. They're idiots because they don't realize it was the exact opposite. Bakugou didn't let his guard down for a single moment and didn't hold back in his fight because he had respect for his opponent, by the end of the fight at the very least. He didn't taunt her once or play with her."

Tenya listened to Izuku's words and began to tear up, "You are so wise Izuku-san! You put your biases aside and saw the truth, like a true hero should!"

Mina was silent for a second before she chuckled, "And here I thought you hated Katsuki-san Izu-kun." Izuku raised an eyebrow, "I never hated him. We actually started out as good friends. But then he got his quirk and changed. It's not like he thinks he's better than everyone, he just thinks that having friends and accepting help makes him weak. Also his douchebag personality doesn't exactly help."

Mina was genuinely surprised. Izuku and Bakugou friends?! That made about as much sense as a non perverted Mineta! She hardly noticed when Izuku had gotten up from his seat, "Come on, let's go see Ochaco-chan. Bakugou didn't hurt her too bad but I'm betting she's getting treated by Recovery Girl in the infirmary right now." Mina nodded as she and Tenya followed the greenette.

Just as Izuku said, the trio found Ochaco being checked over by Recovery Girl in the infirmary. Mina was the first to speak up, "Ochaco-chan! You did so good!" The acid user then proceeded to tackle Ochaco into a bone crushing hug followed by a few grunts of pain, "Mina-chan I'm still sore!" Mina immediately let go, "Sorry!"

Izuku went over to ochaco who was sitting on a hospital bed and clasped her shoulder, "You did great out there Ochaco-chan. You actually had someone like Bakugou on the ropes for a while there." Ochaco smiled, "Thanks. I actually might not have done so good without your tips before the match. I never thought he'd actually be able to blow away that meteor shower in one shot."

Tenya then came over, "It was an amazing display of skill and strategy Ochaco-san! I'm sure with more training, you will only improve as you pave your way to heroism!" All three of Tenya's friends shook their heads while smirking at his antics.

Ochaco then remembered that her friends still had matches left, "What about you guys? You all ready for your fights" Surprisingly, all three then looked at Izuku. Izuku raised an eyebrow, "What did I do?" Mina then bowed, "Please share your wisdom sensei." The three then began to chuckle as Izuku smiled and shook his head, "Alright. Well, Tenya-san is facing that girl from 1-B with the vine quirk, right? If I had to guess, few people are capable of getting past her defence so close combat is the last thing she'll be expecting. Also, since Tenya-san doesn't have any long ranged attacks, your only real option is to use her speed to blitz her and get past her defence. Then drag her out of bounds or knock her out before she even knows what's happening."

Tenya was listening intently as he nodded, "Understood. Thank you for the advice Izuku-san." He then bowed before waiting for Izuku to continue, "Right. No problem Tenya-san. Now, Mina-chan." Mina blushed a bit at Izuku's continued use of -chan with her name but continued to listen, "Like last time, your facing an opponent with a range advantage. Your best bet is to close the distance between you and Fumikage-san. However, his dark shadow quirk is much less predictable then Aoyama-san's beams. That means you'll have to keep an eye on him while you rush Fumikage-san. It might be helpful to see how Dark Shadow reacts to your acid. I'm not sure if he feels pain or not. If he does, you can use that to keep him at bay while you go for Fumikage-san himself."

Mina nodded, completely serious now, "Got it. Thanks Izu-kun." Izuku nodded, "No problem."

After a moment of silence, Izuku's friends continued to stare at him, "Uhhhhh? I'm done now by the way guys." Mian then cocked her brow, "What about you Izu-kun? Out of all of us, you've probably got the toughest matchup. What's your plan to beat Todoroki-san?" Izuku crossed his arms and sighed, "I do have a plan to beat Todoroki-san, but for reasons I can't say, I won't be aiming to beat him right away. Let's just say that there's something more important that I have to do first."

To his surprise, none of Izuku's friends pressed the matter further as Mina spoke up, "That's fine. We all trust you and your decisions Izu-kun." Izuku smiled, "Thanks guys." At that moment, Present Mic's voice was heard over the intercoms, calling Izuku and Shoto to come to the ring for their match. Izuku then headed for the door. He stopped and turned to face his friends and flashed them a smile, "Huh, guess Kirishima-san and that metal guy from class 1-B finished their tie breaker. Wish me luck." His friends all wished him good luck before he left the room.

As Izuku made his way to the ring, he stopped as a large figure was blocking his path to the ring entrance in the tunnel. As soon as Izuku realized who it was, his fist clenched, "Endeavor." Endeavor looked down at the boy, both literally and figuratively, "Brat. I wanted to have a word with you." Izuku looked the pro hero right in the eye, "My name is Midoriya Izuku, not brat. What does the world's second strongest hero want with me?"

Endeavor grit his teeth and his flames increased a bit at the word 'second', "After a bit of asking around, I've come to find out that you are the most promising student this years class at U.A. has. Is this true?" Izuku shrugged, "I don't think it's my place to say whether I am or not." Endeavor narrowed his eyes, "Well, if your teachers are telling the truth, then you are. That being the case, I expect you to push my son as hard as you can. He refuses to utilize my power and it is disgraceful. I believe he should to realize that he needs my power and to stop prolonging the inevitable."

Izuku did his best not to shove a rasengan into the hero's gut, "I agree. Shoto not using all of the power he has available to him is idiotic and pointless. I had actually planned to push him to use his flames from the beginning." Endeavor gave a sinister smile at Izuku's words, "Perfect. I'm glad we could come to an unders-" "That being said. I disagree with you in one key aspect." Izuku began to walk past Endeavor, "I plan to bring out Todoroki-san's power, not yours. The sooner he realizes that power doesn't belong to you, the sooner he can move on and realize his true potential as a hero."

Izuku made his way to the ring without a backwards glance, leaving a stunned Endeavor in the tunnel. The crowd exploded into applause when Izuku and Shoto entered the arena. It was not an exaggeration to say that this was one of the most anticipated fights of the festival. Both fighters walked to the ring with determination behind their stoic faces.

Once they entered the ring, Izuku spoke, "Todoroki-san, I've had time to think about your situation. I think I have the answer that you need." Midnight raised her whip in the air and brought it down, "Begin!"

Shoto didn't waste a second as he sent another massive wave of ice at Izuku, hoping to crush him as easily as he had Sero. Izuku dashed straight for the wave of ice, soon being completely covered by it. Once Shoto was finished, there was another huge block of ice that raised as high as the arena itself.

Izuku was nowhere to be seen.

Disappointment spread throughout the crowd as the match had been one of the shortest thus far.

With Izuku's friends, Tenya grit his teeth, "I suppose Todoroki-san is simply too powerful, even for Izuku-san." Mina was gripping her seat with enough strength to cause pain, "No. He's not done yet."

Down in the ring, Shoto looked at Midnight, "Please call the match. I would like to free him from my ice as soon as possible." Midnight looked at the ice before raising her whip in the air, "Midoriya Izuku has been deemed unable to continu-" Midnight was cut off when everyone heard the very distinct sound of cracking ice.

Everyone looked at Shoto's ice in shock as cracks began to form. For a moment, the cracks stopped spreading entirely, leaving the arena in complete silence. Then, without any warning, the ice exploded as a torrent of flames burst from it. Everyone's eyes widened in shock when they saw the flames came out in the unmistakable shape of a dragon which then flew into the sky beyond the clouds.

From the whole in the ice created by the flame dragon, Izuku jumped out, standing on the opening, "You're gonna have to do better than that Todoroki-san. Trust me, until you use all of your power, you won't be able to beat me." Shoto shook out of his shock at Izuku's words, scowling, "Never."

Izuku clenched his fist, "Have it your way." Izuku then began to weave hand signs in a blur of movement. Shoto responded by sending a wave of ice right for Izuku, "Wind Style: Pressure Cannon!" Izuku then thrust his palms forward in a pushing gesture. From both palms, Izuku sent a blast of focused, high pressured winds heading right for Shoto.

Shoto created a wall of ice in front of himself which shattered on impact with the winds. The winds hit Shoto, pushing him back several yards while his formed ice behind himself until he came to a stop.

The crowd began to cheer again.

The fight had begun.


Ending Author's Note

Okay, to acknowledge the elephant in the room, I am well aware that this chapter is very late. This past month, I've suffered from a combination of AP Exams, final exams, final projects, and club projects. All topped with a horrible case of writer's block.

Actually, I'm finishing this chapter the night after prom (which was fantastic by the way!). So trust me when I say this chapter didn't take so long due to a lack of trying.

However, I'm expecting chapters to start coming at a faster pace now that school is about to be out! That's right people! Summer break is coming! A student writer's best friend!

To all of you that have been waiting patiently, thank you so much for bearing with me so far.

Sorry for cutting off Izuku's fight with Shoto like that. My reasons are mostly a mix of having planned to split up the very beginning of the fight from the main part, and simply wanting to get this chapter published already.

For those of you who saw the important note in the BAN, please let me know if I am getting the Japanese honorifics right as that has been a bit of a struggle since the start of this story.

As a side note, I finally decided to put something on my bio so head over there if you want to know a bit about me!

Anyways, I think that about wraps up this chapter.

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Pilsen18th, out!